History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 15

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104

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Religiously, Bright was a Baptist; Mar- shall a Presbyterian. To what extent they permitted religion to influence their action is not a matter of record. Evi- dently, however, they were not guided in their daily walks of life by the sublime doctrines proclaimed in the Sermon from the Mount :

"Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you for righteousness' sake.

"Ye have heard it said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.

"Ye have heard it said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil, but who- soever shall smite you on the one cheek, turn to him the other also."

Marshall was twice chosen a member of the Legislature, in 1837 and again in 1840. At the State election in 1843 Bright was chosen Lieutenant-Governor. Albert S. White's term as United States Senator was to expire March 3, 1845. The Legislature of 1844-chosen in 1843-was to elect White's successor. The Whigs had a majority of ten on joint ballot. They nominated Marshall for Senator. The Senate was a tie. As Lieutenant- Governor and presiding officer, Bright gave the casting vote against going into an election for Senator. At the next elec- tion the Democrats obtained a majority of the Legislature and Bright managed to capture the coveted prize, securing the caucus nomination over Governor Whit- comb. In 1846 Marshall was defeated in the race for Governor. Eight years later substantially a similar condition to that of 1844 arose. Much against his wishes Marshall was induced to run for Con- gress in the New Albany district in 1852. He was defeated by Cyrus L. Dunham. Governor Whitcomb had been trans- ferred from the Governorship to the United States Senate. He died in the fall of 1852. Governor Wright temporarily filled the vacancy by the appointment of his personal and political friend, Charles W. Cathcart, of Laporte county. When the Legislature of 1853 met John Pettit

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of Lafayette was on January 11 elected to serve during the remainder of Whit- comb's term, March' 3, 1855. Bright wanted Dr. Graham N. Fitch of Logans- port as his colleague. In the Legislative caucus the vote stood 54 for Pettit to 46 for Fitch. The selection of Pettit was a victory for Governor Wright and a defeat for Senator Bright. At the election of 1854 a fusion of Whigs, Know-Nothings and Freesoilers was effected. By this fusion the combined opposition had se- cured a majority of 14 on joint ballot. The Senate was Democratic by a majority of two. Through the intercession of Sen- ator Bright and Lieutenant-Governor Ashbel P. Willard the Senate refused to go into joint session. The fusion mem- bers of the Legislature had agreed on electing Joseph G. Marshall for United States Senator. A joint session being re- fused, Marshall again was doomed to dis- appointment. Naturally he felt the sting of defeat quite keenly. Two years later Graham N. Fitch was elected.

In 1851 Mr. Marshall became deeply in- terested in the proposition to sell the State's interest in the Madison and In- dianapolis Railroad. He took quite an active part in the contest for the election of members of the Legislature that was to take final action on this proposition. In the course of a speech on this subject Marshall made a statement which Bright, who happened to be in attendance at this meeting, emphatically denied. Marshall reiterated his statement with consider- able warmth. This episode resulted in the issuance and acceptance of a challenge to a duel at Louisville. Before the challenge was issued Marshall had purchased a bowie-knife with which, according to his own statement, he intended to kill Senator Bright while going to the postoffice for his mail. Fortunately Bright did not go for his mail at his usual time, and the threatened encounter was thus happily averted. Marshall said Bright always

went armed, so no advantage would have been taken had the bowie-knife attack been actually made.

All the preliminaries for the duel at Louisville had been arranged. The com- batants went by boat on. the Ohio. The seconds, surgeons, etc., that had been chosen on both sides happened to be men of good common sense. By judicious parleying they managed somehow to effect an adjustment, the terms of which very properly never were divulged. Whether these two eminent antagonists ever be- came reconciled to one another nobody now living is able to tell.

W. W. Woollen lived in the same town with Bright and Marshall. He knew both of them quite well. In his admirable "Sketches of Early Indiana" he speaks thus of the able man of numerous disap- pointments and defeats :

"Scotch-Irish and cavalier blood mingled in the veins of Joseph G. Marshall. Like the North of Ireland man, he got all the contention out of a thing there was in it; and like the cavalier, he was warm- hearted, impulsive, and brave. When con- tending for a principle be believed to be right you would imagine him a born son of Carrickfergus; when at the fireside, or around the social board, he would impress you as one born on the banks of the York or the James. His father was a Scotch- Irishman and his mother a Virginian, so his leading characteristics were his by in- heritance.

"Joseph Glass Marshall was born in Fayette county, Ky., January 18, 1800. His father was a Presbyterian minister, and he thoroughly indoctrinated the son in the principles of the Scottish Church. He was fitted for college at home, enter- ing Translyvania University as a junior, and graduating from that institution in 1823. In 1828 he came to Indiana and settled at Madison, where he resided until he died. He had studied law in Kentucky, and although a young man in a town noted for the strength of its bar, he soon ob- tained a lucrative practice. Two years after coming to Indiana he was elected Probate Judge of his county, and dis- charged the duties of the office with signal

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ability. When he left the judgeship he returned to the bar. In 1836, 1840 and 1844 he was on the Whig electoral ticket, and each time made an active canvass of the State. In 1846 he was nominated for Governor and was beaten by James Whit- comb 3.958 votes. In 1849 President Tay- lor appointed him Governor of Oregon, but he refused the place. Before declin- ing, however, he went to Washington and personally thanked the President for the tender of the office. In 1850 he was elected Senator from his county, and served the legal term. In 1852, much against his wishes, he was nominated for Congress in his district, and was beaten by Cyrus L. Dunham 931 votes. This was the last race he made before the people. In addition to the offices named, he represented his county several times in the lower branch of the State Legislature.

"Mr. Marshall had an ambition to go to the United States Senate, but his ambi- tion was never gratified. In the Legisla- ture of 1844 the Whigs had ten majority on joint ballot. They nominated him for the Senate, but the Democrats refused to go into an election. Each party had twenty-five members in the Senate, and Jesse D. Bright, then Lieutenant-Gov- ernor, gave the casting vote against going into the election. In 1845 the Democrats carried the Legislature, and elected Mr. Bright to the Senate, his vote being 80, and Mr. Marshall's 66. His defeat the year before incensed him against Mr. Bright, and ever afterward he hated him.

"In the Legislature of 1854 the People's, or anti-Nebraska party, had a majority of fourteen on joint ballot, but the Demo- crats, having two majority in the Senate, prevented the election of a Senator. Mr. Marshall was the nominee of the dominant party, and had an election been held he would have been chosen. Thus it will be seen that he was twice kept from going to the Senate by the refusal of the Demo- crats to perform a legal duty.

"Mr. Marshall was at Indianapolis most of the time during the session of the Leg- islature of 1854-5, and while there con- tracted a deep cold. The cold settled on his lungs and soon became alarming. Early in the spring of 1855 he started on a Southern trip, in hopes of regaining his health. When he reached Louisville, be- ing too sick to proceed farther, he took

to his bed, and, on the 8th of April, 1855, died. His remains were brought to Madi- son and there interred.

"Indiana never had the equal of Mr. Marshall in breadth and strength of in- tellect. Neither did she ever have his equal in ability to stir the passions and sway the feelings of the people. She has had men of greater culture and of more general information, but in those qualities which enable the orator to melt the hearts and fire the passions of his auditors he was without a peer. He was called the "Sleeping Lion," and, when fully aroused, he was a lion indeed.

"On such occasions his oratory was like the hurricane that sweeps everything be- fore it. Ordinarily he did not show his power, but when engaged in a case that enlisted his feelings and his conscience his words were like hot shot from the can- non's mouth.

"Colonel Abram W. Hendricks, in a re- cent address, thus speaks of Mr. Marshall : 'He was one of the most transcendently powerful advocates that have figured at the Indiana bar. His intellect was colossal. He seemed to know the law by intuition. His logic was surrounded by a glowing atmosphere of passion. He could sweep through his subject like a tempest or crush through it like an avalanche.' Colonel Hendricks had practice at the bar with him for many years, and knew whereof he spoke.

"Mr. Marshall was very careless of his dress. He didn't care whether his coat fitted him or not, or whether the bow on his neck-stock was under his ear or his chin. He usually wore low shoes, and there was often quite a distance between his shoetops and the bottom of his panta- loons. He carried his papers in his hat instead of his pockets, and wore his hat pulled low down upon his head. He had a great big head, thickly covered with sandy hair. His forehead, mouth and nose were large and prominent. His eyes were a light blue, and were the least ex- pressive of his features. He stood over six feet high. His body was not sym- metrical, being from his shoulders to his hips almost the same in size. It was his head and face that told you the manner of man he was. These were magnificent, and his uncouth form and careless dress served to show them to the best advantage. Had he gone to the Senate, as he should

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have done, he would have made a reputa- tion equal to any one in the land. He had the ability to shine anywhere and would not have suffered by comparison with the ablest men in that body."

With reference to the refusal of the State Senate on two occasions to agree to go into joint session for the purpose of electing a United States Senator, it may be stated that in those days State Legis- latures were privileged to do as they pleased about such matters. There was

no federal law governing the election of United States Senators. On another page David Turpie relates, intelligently and comprehensively, how Congress finally came to pass a law prescribing when and how United States Senators were to be chosen by State Legislatures. This legis- lative enactment has since been superseded by the adoption of an amendment to the Federal Constitution making United States Senators elective by direct vote of the people.

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[CHAPTER XIV.]

STRONG MEN WERE SENT TO CONGRESS DURING DECADE (1843 TO 1853)

HE' census of 1840, revealing T another extraordinary increase of population, gave Indiana three additional Congressmen, raising the State's apportion- ment from seven to ten. Under this apportionment the follow- ing named gentlemen were chosen for the Twenty-eighth Congress-1843 to 1845:

1. Robert Dale Owen.

2. Thomas J. Henley.

3. Thomas Smith.

4. Caleb B. Smith.

5. William J. Brown.

6. John W. Davis.

7. Joseph A. Wright.

8. John Pettit.

9. Samuel C. Sample.

10. Andrew Kennedy.

Thomas Jefferson Henley was the first native of Indiana to be elected to Con- gress. He was born in 1810; attended the State University at Bloomington; was State Representative from 1832 to 1842, and Speaker of the House one term; elected to Congress as a Democrat for three successive terms (1843 to 1849) ; moved to California in 1849 and engaged in banking in San Francisco. Was a mem- ber of the first California Legislature; Superintendent of Indian affairs of Cali- fornia for seven years, and wound up his official career with the postmastership of San Francisco.

Caleb Blood Smith was born in Boston, Mass., April 16, 1808; moved with his parents to Ohio in 1814; was graduated from the Miami University; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began prac- tice in Connersville, Ind .; founded and edited the Indiana Sentinel in 1832; mem- ber of the State House of Representatives 1833-1836, and served as Speaker in 1836; elected to the Twenty-eighth, Twenty-

ninth and Thirtieth Congresses (March 4, 1843-March 3, 1849) ; presidential elector in 1840; moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and practiced law; presidential elector on the Fremont ticket in 1856; President of the Republican National Convention of 1860; Secretary of the Interior under President Lincoln March 5, 1861, to January 1, 1863; resigned to become judge for the District of Indiana. Died in Indianapolis January 7, 1864.

William J. Brown was for years one of Indiana's most influential politicians- adroit, alert, sagacious and courageous. He was born in Kentucky November 22, 1805; in 1821 moved to Indiana; member of the State Legislature and Secretary of State for Indiana; elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1843-March 3, 1845) ; Second Assistant Postmaster General, 1845-1849; again elected to (the Thirty-first) Congress (March 4, 1849-March 3, 1851) ; editor of the Indiana Sentinel and State Libra- rian of Indiana; special agent of the Postoffice Department for Indiana and Illinois. Died near Indianapolis, March 18, 1857.

Samuel C. Sample was born in Mary- land; moved to Indiana and settled in South Bend; elected as a Whig to Con- gress for one term, from 1843 to 1845.

(Robert Dale Owen, Thomas Smith, John W. Davis, Joseph A. Wright, John Pettit and Andrew Kennedy are duly men- tioned elsewhere.)

A notably able delegation was chosen by the people of Indiana to represent them in the Twenty-ninth Congress, from 1845 to 1847:

I. Robert Dale Owen.

2. Thomas J. Henley.

3. Thomas Smith.

4. Caleb B. Smith.

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5. William W. Wick.

6. John W. Davis.

7. Edward W. McGaughey.

8. John Pettit.

9. Charles W. Cathcart.

10. Andrew Kennedy.

Edward W. McGaughey was twice elected to Congress, from 1845 to 1847, and from 1849 to 1851. He was a cam- paigner of considerable resourcefulness and ingenuity.

Charles W. Cathcart was twice elected to Congress from the Laporte district. Upon the death of Senator James Whit- comb, October 4, 1852, Governor Wright appointed Mr. Cathcart to serve as Whit- comb's successor until the Legislature would effect an election. Cathcart took his seat December 6, 1852, and held it un- til "relieved" by John Pettit, January 18, 1853. Thus the Whitcomb seat in the Senate had three different occupants dur- ing the six-year term.

In the Thirtieth Congress (1847 to 1849) Indiana was represented by these gentlemen :

1. Elisha Embree.

2. Thomas J. Henley.

3. John L. Robinson.

4. Caleb B. Smith.

5. William W. Wick.

6. George C. Dunn.

7. Richard W. Thompson.

8. John Pettit.

9. Charles W. Cathcart.

10. William Rockhill.

New names in this list are those of Elisha Embree, John L. Robinson, Geo. G. Dunn and William Rockhill.

Elisha Embree was a native of Lincoln county, Kentucky ; came with his father to Indiana in 1811; practiced law at Prince- ton; served as circuit judge from 1835 to 1845; elected to Congress as a Whig; de- feated as candidate for re-election. Died at Princeton, February 28, 1863.

John L. Robinson was conspicuous in Indiana politics for twenty years. Born in Mason county, Kentucky, May 3, 1814, he came to Indiana when eighteen years of age, locating in Rush county, where he

made himself useful in a country store. By and by he engaged in business for him- self, but success did not crown his efforts. His mind concerned itself more with the study of human nature and the current of events than with figuring out a reasonable profit on the commodities usually sold in a country store. And in those days a coun- try store was a great place for expound- ing doctrines, cultivating public sentiment and espousing various causes. John L. Robinson was a master hand at this. It didn't take long for him to establish a lo- cal reputation for political sagacity and shrewdness. When but twenty-six years of age his name was placed on the Van Buren electoral ticket in 1840. He was no mere figurehead in this assignment. He went on the stump and acquitted himself so masterfully as to astonish both friend and foe. Though the party with which he affiliated was overwhelmingly defeated in that campaign, John L. Robinson had an abiding faith that a turn in affairs po- litical was but a question of time. And he was right about this. Two years after the defeat just narrated he was triumphantly elected clerk of Rush county. Before he had completed his second term he was elected to Congress and twice re-elected thereafter. Upon the accession of Frank- lin Pierce to the Presidency, Robinson was appointed United States Marshal of In- diana. In this position he was enabled to wield considerable influence throughout the State. And he availed himself of it to the utmost. He was closely allied with Senator Bright and proved himself a most efficient lieutenant to that adroit political chieftain, who in turn greatly appreciated the services rendered. In terms of affec- tion, Bright spoke of Robinson as "a very brother." Bright's friendship for Robin- son was put to a severe test when the lat- ter got the notion into his head that he wanted to be Governor of Indiana. An- other dear friend of Bright's, Ashbel P. Willard, nursed a similar ambition. The matter was finally adjusted to the satis-

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faction of all concerned by an agreement that Bright should keep hands off and let Willard and Robinson fight it out between themselves. They did, and Willard won. Robinson had his reward in being reap- pointed to the United States marshalship, which position he retained up to the time of his death at his home in Rushville, March 21, 1860.

One who knew Mr. Robinson intimate- ly, personally and politically, thus summed up his character: "Of all the public men I ever knew, he was farthest removed from the time-server and the demagogue. He despised political intrigue, chicanery, dissimulation, tergiversation, untruth and injustice, and held with Jefferson that 'an honest heart is the first blessing, a know- ing head is the second.' . His marked decision of character, his clear judgment, his unselfish devotion to the popular cause, his unfaltering faith in the masses of his party, his pre-eminent abil- ities as the advocate and defender of pop- ular rights, combined to make him, as ac- knowledgedly he was, the heart and head leader of the Democracy of Indiana."

George G. Dunn was born in Kentucky in 1813; moved to Indiana; admitted to the bar and practiced in Bedford; was elected prosecuting attorney, and in that capacity proved himself a terror to evil- doers and criminals. Served in both Houses of the Legislature and was at two different times elected to Congress-first as a Whig and later on as a sort of com- bination candidate. As the product of po- litical mongrelism he did very much as he pleased, supremely indifferent as to whether school kept or not. He was a strong man, and was at one time in part- nership with Richard W. Thompson. Died at Bedford, September 24, 1857.

William Rockhill was a native of New Jersey, where he was born February 10, 1793. Had a limited education. Located at Fort Wayne, and was elected a member

of the Thirtieth Congress. He served but one term. Died at Fort Wayne, January 15, 1865.

Of the Indiana delegation to the Thirty- first Congress (1849 to 1851) all but one were Democrats. The solitary exception was Edward W. McGaughey. It was a strong delegation and consisted of these widely-known gentlemen :

1. Nathaniel Albertson.

2. Cyrus L. Dunham.

3. John L. Robinson.

4. George W. Julian.

5. William J. Brown.

6. Willis A. Gorman.

7. Edward W. McGaughey.

8. Joseph E. McDonald.

9. Graham N. Fitch.

10. Andrew J. Harlan.

Nathaniel Albertson was born in Vir- ginia, moved to Greenville, Ind., and was elected as a Democrat to Congress. Served but one term.

A truly remarkable man was Cyrus L. Dunham. Briefly told, his record shows him to have been born at Dryden, Tomp- kins county, New York, January 16, 1817. He was distinctively self-educated. Upon his removal to Indiana he located at Salem, Washington county, where he studied law and in course of time was admitted to the bar. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and was made prosecuting attorney of the circuit court, in which position he distin- guished himself by his absolute fearless- ness. He established quite a reputation as a criminal lawyer and became famous as a public speaker of unusual power and eloquence. In 1846 he was elected a mem- ber of the Legislature and re-elected the year following. While serving in this ca- pacity he became quite active in support of a bill to authorize the holding of a con- vention to frame a new State Constitu- tion. In 1848 he was a Cass and Butler elector. The next year he was nominated for Congress by the Democracy of the second district and triumphantly elected over William McKee Dunn by a majority of 485. Two years later he was re-elected

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by a majority of 963 over Roger Martin. near Centerville, Ind., May 5, 1817; at- In 1852 he defeated Joseph G. Marshall, one of the ablest and most highly esteemed men in the State, by a majority of 931. when Know-Nothingism caused a sort of political dementia in 1853 and 1854, Dun- ham made his fourth race, his competitor being George G. Dunn, and was beaten by 1,660 votes. This ended Dunham's Con- gressional career. When Daniel McClure resigned as Secretary of State, Governor Willard appointed Mr. Dunham to fill out the unexpired term, ending the latter part of 1860. It was in the early part of that year that Mr. Dunham conceived the idea of competing with Thomas A. Hendricks for the nomination for Governor. Dun- ham was a supporter of the Buchanan ad- ministration, while the great body of the Indiana Democracy upheld Stephen A. Douglas in the Kansas-Nebraska fight. It soon became apparent to Mr. Dunham that the Buchanan-Bright faction was in a hopeless minority. Gracefully he accepted the situation and in a singularly eloquent speech he moved the unanimous nomina- tion of Thomas A. Hendricks.

Soon after the breaking out of the civil war Cyrus L. Dunham organized the Fif- tieth Regiment Indiana Volunteers and took it to the front. After serving about a year, faithfully and heroically fighting for his country, ill-health compelled him to resign and retire from the service. Upon his return from the field he located in New Albany and resumed the practice of law. In 1864 he was elected to the Legislature and took a leading part in the proceedings of that body. In 1871 he was elected judge of the Floyd and Clark Circuit Court. While holding this office he re- moved to Jeffersonville, remaining a resi- dent thereof until death ended his event- ful career, November 21, 1877.

One of the most remarkable men sent to Congress from Indiana was George Wash- ington Julian. He was the second native Indianian to be elected to Congress. In his biography it is stated that he was born

tended the common schools; studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1840; mem- ber of the State House of Representatives in 1845; delegate in the Buffalo Freesoil convention, and Van Buren elector in 1848; candidate for Vice-President on the Freesoil ticket in 1852; delegate to the National Republican Convention in Pitts- burgh in 1856; elected as a Freesoiler to the Thirty-first Congress (March 4, 1849- March 3, 1851) ; elected as a Republican to the Thirty-seventh, Thirty-eighth, Thir- ty-ninth, Fortieth and Forty-first Con- gresses (March 4, 1861-March 3,' 1871) ; supported Tilden and Hendricks in 1876; appointed by President Cleveland Sur- veyor-General of New Mexico December 13, 1886, and served four years. Died in Irvington, a suburb of Indianapolis, July 7,1899.

Willis A. Gorman was born near Flem- ingsburg, Ky., January 12, 1816; pursued an academic course; studied law, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1835, and began prac- tice in Bloomington, Ind .; Clerk of the In- diana Senate 1837-1838; Major and Colonel of Indiana Volunteers in the Mex- ican war; elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Congresses (March 4, 1849-March 3, 1853) ; Terri- torial Governor of Minnesota 1853-1857; delegate to the Constitutional Convention of Minnesota in 1857; practiced law in St. Paul, Minn., 1857-1861; entered the Union army; Colonel First Minnesota Infantry April 29, 1861; Brigadier-General of Vol- unteers September 7, 1861; mustered out May 4, 1864; elected city attorney of St. Paul in 1869. Died in St. Paul, Minn., May 20, 1876.

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History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 15

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104